Rank in the Economic Complexity Index in United States
United States: Rank in the Economic Complexity Index was 7 in 2016. ▲ Rising
Rank in the Economic Complexity Index in United States, 1964–2016
Source: Observatory of Economic Complexity and Atlas of Economic Complexity (2016) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rank in the economic complexity index in United States is 7, measured in 2016.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 50.0% on the previous year and down 12.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rank in the economic complexity index in United States peaked at 14 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 6, in 2000.
That places United States 114th out of 121 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Rank in the Economic Complexity Index in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 9 | — |
| 1965 | 8 | -11.1% |
| 1966 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 7 | -12.5% |
| 1970 | 8 | +14.3% |
| 1971 | 9 | +12.5% |
| 1972 | 8 | -11.1% |
| 1973 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 9 | +12.5% |
| 1975 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 10 | +11.1% |
| 1984 | 9 | -10.0% |
| 1985 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 10 | +11.1% |
| 1988 | 11 | +10.0% |
| 1989 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 11 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 8 | -27.3% |
| 1994 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 7 | -12.5% |
| 1997 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 8 | +14.3% |
| 1999 | 7 | -12.5% |
| 2000 | 6 | -14.3% |
| 2001 | 7 | +16.7% |
| 2002 | 6 | -14.3% |
| 2003 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 8 | +33.3% |
| 2005 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 10 | +25.0% |
| 2010 | 11 | +10.0% |
| 2011 | 12 | +9.1% |
| 2012 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 14 | +16.7% |
| 2015 | 14 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 7 | -50.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 7 is below the median for high income countries, which is 23, 30% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8 | 7 | 9 | 6 |
| 1970s | 8.7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.6 | 9 | 11 | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.6 | 7 | 11 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.5 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.71 | 7 | 14 | 7 |
Countries ranked near United States
More economy & growth data for United States
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.63 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.12 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 422.23 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0137 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,235 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 400.52 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 34.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.013 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,172 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 52.24 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rank in the economic complexity index in United States?
- Rank in the economic complexity index in United States was 7 in 2016, according to Observatory of Economic Complexity and Atlas of Economic Complexity (2016) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest rank in the economic complexity index recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 14 in 2014.
- What is the lowest rank in the economic complexity index recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 6 in 2000.
- How does United States rank for rank in the economic complexity index?
- United States ranks 114th out of 121 countries with data for 2016.
- Is rank in the economic complexity index rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Observatory of Economic Complexity and Atlas of Economic Complexity (2016) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Rank in the Economic Complexity Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The Economic Complexity Index (ECI) takes data on exports, and reduces a country’s economic system into two dimensions: (i) The number or ‘diversification’ of products in the export basket, and (ii) the quality, or ‘ubiquity’ of products in the export basket. This map ranks countries by ECI scores. The highest rank is 1 and corresponds to the country with the most complex economy in that year.